When a breach or other detrimental change occurs, the detrimental change may need to be corrected immediately. In many cases, correction is required because further damage may arise if the detrimental change is not rectified.
As a simple example, if an automobile drives over a nail, one of the automobile's tires may become punctured. If the tire is not repaired or replaced, the driver may experience problems in steering and/or braking. In addition, if the automobile is driven at normal speeds, the wheel may become damaged. Determining that there is a problem with the tire may not be difficult for an experienced driver because the experienced driver may notice a problem based on a change in the feel of the automobile. The driver may also determine that the tire is damaged through a visual inspection. In other instances, the driver may be notified of the damage by other people who have seen the damage. Another example may include either instant damage or developing damage to a flying craft.
It is not always possible, however, to detect or visually inspect an environment in which damage has occurred. For example, the environment may be in a remote location that is not easily visualized, such as, in the skin of a flying craft or space vehicle. In this example, the occupants of the vehicle may be unaware of the damage because they would likely be unable to detect or visually inspect the damage.
Sensors may be placed in these hard-to-reach areas to detect and report environmental changes. However, these sensors typically require a power supply to perform a measurement. If a power supply fails then the power supply must be changed. However, it may be very expensive or in some situations, such as a situation involving a sensor used on a space craft, very difficult to replace the power supply. Furthermore, the installation, including wiring of the sensors, is typically difficult and expensive, and the ongoing maintenance is also expensive. Furthermore, these sensor systems add additional weight to the vehicles or devices using the sensor systems.